The Cold War was the global conflict between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialists Republics (USSR) following World War 2. The Cold War was over international affairs that were relevant to that time, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the war in Vietnam, and most importantly the growth of weapons of mass destruction.
History
With Joseph Stalin leading the USSR, and President Truman as the Commander in Chief in the U.S.A, the tensions between the nations grew. Both countries were loading up and ready for war, though communication between the two states was limited, hence the term "cold" war.
Even before the second World War, there was a tension between America and Soviet Russia, as many of the core ideologies and beliefs of their nations' differed. The end of the second World War only served to strain the relationship between these two countries further, while suspicions from the citizens rose even higher. While America's government was run by free election and democracy, Soviet Russia was formed by a Communist Party. At the end of World War II, Europe was on a massive decline, leaving the United States and Russia to combat over the leading power in the world.
The change of presidents from Roosevelt to Truman in 1945 was another leading cause in the tension between the U.S and Soviet Russia. Although Roosevelt did not trust Stalin, Roosevelt believed Stalin would keep his promises. However, when Truman came into office, he favored a resistance to the growing powers of Russia. In March of 1947, President Truman proclaimed the Truman Doctrine which basically protested against communism, stating, "it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressure." With this, the Cold War had begun.[1]
Types of War
There are three types of War:
Hot War - Negotiation has failed, and actual warfare has taken place.
Warm War - There is a chance for peace, and negotiation is occurring, but both sides are armed and ready to fight.
Cold War - The relationship between the United States and Soviet Russia from 1945 all the way to 1980.
A Cold War Chronology:
By The History Learning Site;
1945 : ‘A’-Bomb dropped on Hiroshima + Nagasaki. USA ahead in the arms race. 1947 : Marshall Aid to the west of Europe. Stalin of USSR refused it for Eastern Europe. 1948 : start of the Berlin Blockade - ended in 1949 1949 : NATO established; USSR exploded her first ‘A’-bomb; China becomes communist 1950 : Korean War started. 1952 : USA exploded her first hydrogen bomb. 1953 : Korean War ended. USSR exploded her first hydrogen bomb. Stalin died. 1955 : Warsaw Pact created. ‘Peaceful coexistence’ called for. 1956 : Hungary revolts against USSR. Suez Crisis. 1957 : Sputnik launched. 1959 : Cuba becomes a communist state. 1961 : Military aid sent to Vietnam by USA for the first time. Berlin Wall built. 1962 : Cuban Missile Crisis. 1963 : Huge increase of American aid to Vietnam. 1965 : USA openly involved in Vietnam. 1967 : Six-Day War in Middle East. 1968 : USSR invades Czechoslovakia. 1973 : Yom Kippur War. 1979 : USSR invaded Afghanistan. 1986 : Meeting in Iceland between USSR (Gorbachev) and USA (Reagan). 1987 : INF Treaty signed. [2]
The Cold War's Effect on Art and Literature:
As the Cold War happened to coincide with the Golden Ages of Cinema, there are a vast amount of movies that have to do with the alienation and despair that comes with the constant threat of annihilation. The film that most frequently is used as an example of this is Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb produced in 1964. It features an insane general who is trying to start a nuclear holocaust (as he feels there is a subversive Soviet plot to poison America with fluoride) while politicians and other members of the military try desperately to stop him. Many other films follow similar themes and have to deal with the aftermath of the various wars that occurred in this time period. It is also pertinent to mention that during this time there was the rise of apocalypse themes in books and movies such as I am Legend, 1984, Brave New World, and The Planet of the Apes.
1950's: Abstract art and Pop art. Shows alienation and consumerism were on the rise. The fact that they could die any day making it so that the art became more abstract and the rush of capitalistic feelings lead to a spike in marketing. Norman Rockwell defends the idea that all is well and that these are times in which the world is perfect while artists like Andy Warhol poke fun at the growing shopping culture.
1960-1980's: Graffiti, photorealism, land art. These forms of art show what can be done when one works with structures that already exist and preserve the structures already in place. The photorealism shows an increase for wanting to remember things as they were in perfect detail with shows an attachment to the world as it is known then.
Popular Music Genres in the Cold War Era:
The most popular forms of music during the 1950's and 1960's were Jazz and Folk Music. Some argue that with all the stress existing between nations at this time, musicians were influenced by the shadow of nuclear war that was on the brink of eruption. Interestingly enough, it is recorded that both nations competed in more than just military challenges; the United States and the USSR were both highly competitive in ballet dancing, chess, jazz music and Olympic sports.
This was also a time of 'protest' songs. Many artists like Bob Dylan and John Lennon produced works that were in direct opposition to the mounting tension in the world. These are not the first occasions of protest songs, but as global communication increased it has become easier to spread such messages. Such songs that speak out against the use of weapons of mass destruction are and across genre lines; Sound of Silence, by Simon and Garfunkel, Chemical Bomb, by the Aquabats, and Boom!, by A System of a Down.
The Cold War's Effect on Technology:
Technology doubles processing power approximately every 22 months, from the point when the atom bomb was discovered, the explosion of electronics, machines, and weapons have been a visible part or everyday life. The invention of the computer, internet, and satellites, have this period to thank as all were utilized as methods of increasing communication and find better ways to outmaneuver the enemy.
Futuristic facets spring up everywhere in the United States and Europe as a result of the Cold War. Here are a few examples:
This is conceptual artwork by the neo-avant-garde Italian architecture group, Superstudio. It depicts the New York City Skyline sliced in half. The idea behind this was to link different areas and places together in a metaphysical sense.
Inspired by the Cold War, these helmets were invented by the Haus-Rucker-Co in 1968. Their purpose was to remove the user from reality, isolating them from the senses involved with sound and sight.
"Micro-cars" became widely popular in post-war Europe, due to their affordability. They were quickly manufactured and marketed for farmers and factory workers. This particular model is the Messerschmitt Kabinenroller created in 1955.[3]
Images are used in accordance with fair use practices.If you hold copyright to an image, and do not agree that its use accords with fair use practices,please contact the wiki's creator and organizer.
The Cold War was the global conflict between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialists Republics (USSR) following World War 2. The Cold War was over international affairs that were relevant to that time, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the war in Vietnam, and most importantly the growth of weapons of mass destruction.History
With Joseph Stalin leading the USSR, and President Truman as the Commander in Chief in the U.S.A, the tensions between the nations grew. Both countries were loading up and ready for war, though communication between the two states was limited, hence the term "cold" war.
Even before the second World War, there was a tension between America and Soviet Russia, as many of the core ideologies and beliefs of their nations' differed. The end of the second World War only served to strain the relationship between these two countries further, while suspicions from the citizens rose even higher. While America's government was run by free election and democracy, Soviet Russia was formed by a Communist Party. At the end of World War II, Europe was on a massive decline, leaving the United States and Russia to combat over the leading power in the world.
The change of presidents from Roosevelt to Truman in 1945 was another leading cause in the tension between the U.S and Soviet Russia. Although Roosevelt did not trust Stalin, Roosevelt believed Stalin would keep his promises. However, when Truman came into office, he favored a resistance to the growing powers of Russia. In March of 1947, President Truman proclaimed the Truman Doctrine which basically protested against communism, stating, "it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressure." With this, the Cold War had begun.[1]
Types of War
There are three types of War:
A Cold War Chronology:
By The History Learning Site;1945 : ‘A’-Bomb dropped on Hiroshima + Nagasaki. USA ahead in the arms race.
1947 : Marshall Aid to the west of Europe. Stalin of USSR refused it for Eastern Europe.
1948 : start of the Berlin Blockade - ended in 1949
1949 : NATO established; USSR exploded her first ‘A’-bomb; China becomes communist
1950 : Korean War started.
1952 : USA exploded her first hydrogen bomb.
1953 : Korean War ended. USSR exploded her first hydrogen bomb. Stalin died.
1955 : Warsaw Pact created. ‘Peaceful coexistence’ called for.
1956 : Hungary revolts against USSR. Suez Crisis.
1957 : Sputnik launched.
1959 : Cuba becomes a communist state.
1961 : Military aid sent to Vietnam by USA for the first time. Berlin Wall built.
1962 : Cuban Missile Crisis.
1963 : Huge increase of American aid to Vietnam.
1965 : USA openly involved in Vietnam.
1967 : Six-Day War in Middle East.
1968 : USSR invades Czechoslovakia.
1973 : Yom Kippur War.
1979 : USSR invaded Afghanistan.
1986 : Meeting in Iceland between USSR (Gorbachev) and USA (Reagan).
1987 : INF Treaty signed.
[2]
The Cold War's Effect on Art and Literature:
As the Cold War happened to coincide with the Golden Ages of Cinema, there are a vast amount of movies that have to do with the alienation and despair that comes with the constant threat of annihilation. The film that most frequently is used as an example of this is Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb produced in 1964. It features an insane general who is trying to start a nuclear holocaust (as he feels there is a subversive Soviet plot to poison America with fluoride) while politicians and other members of the military try desperately to stop him. Many other films follow similar themes and have to deal with the aftermath of the various wars that occurred in this time period. It is also pertinent to mention that during this time there was the rise of apocalypse themes in books and movies such as I am Legend, 1984, Brave New World, and The Planet of the Apes.
1950's: Abstract art and Pop art. Shows alienation and consumerism were on the rise. The fact that they could die any day making it so that the art became more abstract and the rush of capitalistic feelings lead to a spike in marketing. Norman Rockwell defends the idea that all is well and that these are times in which the world is perfect while artists like Andy Warhol poke fun at the growing shopping culture.
1960-1980's: Graffiti, photorealism, land art. These forms of art show what can be done when one works with structures that already exist and preserve the structures already in place. The photorealism shows an increase for wanting to remember things as they were in perfect detail with shows an attachment to the world as it is known then.
Popular Music Genres in the Cold War Era:
The most popular forms of music during the 1950's and 1960's were Jazz and Folk Music. Some argue that with all the stress existing between nations at this time, musicians were influenced by the shadow of nuclear war that was on the brink of eruption. Interestingly enough, it is recorded that both nations competed in more than just military challenges; the United States and the USSR were both highly competitive in ballet dancing, chess, jazz music and Olympic sports.
This was also a time of 'protest' songs. Many artists like Bob Dylan and John Lennon produced works that were in direct opposition to the mounting tension in the world. These are not the first occasions of protest songs, but as global communication increased it has become easier to spread such messages. Such songs that speak out against the use of weapons of mass destruction are and across genre lines; Sound of Silence, by Simon and Garfunkel, Chemical Bomb, by the Aquabats, and Boom!, by A System of a Down.
The Cold War's Effect on Technology:
Technology doubles processing power approximately every 22 months, from the point when the atom bomb was discovered, the explosion of electronics, machines, and weapons have been a visible part or everyday life. The invention of the computer, internet, and satellites, have this period to thank as all were utilized as methods of increasing communication and find better ways to outmaneuver the enemy.
Futuristic facets spring up everywhere in the United States and Europe as a result of the Cold War. Here are a few examples:
This is conceptual artwork by the neo-avant-garde Italian architecture group, Superstudio. It depicts the New York City Skyline sliced in half. The idea behind this was to link different areas and places together in a metaphysical sense.
Inspired by the Cold War, these helmets were invented by the Haus-Rucker-Co in 1968. Their purpose was to remove the user from reality, isolating them from the senses involved with sound and sight.
"Micro-cars" became widely popular in post-war Europe, due to their affordability. They were quickly manufactured and marketed for farmers and factory workers. This particular model is the Messerschmitt Kabinenroller created in 1955.[3]
External Links
The Cold War
Cold War Museum
Cold War 1945-1960
orwell's article names it the 'cold war'
References
Images are used in accordance with fair use practices.If you hold copyright to an image, and do not agree that its use accords with fair use practices,please contact the wiki's creator and organizer.